The government has targeted to lift 1 million Filipinos out of poverty every year, Malacañang said Tuesday, October 22.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo issued the statement after the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed fewer Filipino families labeled themselves poor.

The survey showed 42 percent or some 10.3 million Filipino families consider themselves poor as of September this year.

Panelo said that “notwithstanding the latest survey showing favorable results, there is no denying that millions of families remain poor.”

But he assured the public that “bringing a comfortable life for all, with the objective of reducing poverty at a significant level, is the overarching socioeconomic goal of the Duterte administration.”

He, however, said that “poverty is a concern that cannot be addressed overnight and this administration recognizes this fact.”

“[O]ur economic managers have intensified their efforts and targeted to lift one million Filipinos from poverty every year,” he said.

To realize this, he added that “pertinent departments and agencies have instituted social protection measures, which include rice liberalization and institutionalization of cash transfers, to ensure that no one is left behind as we progress as a nation under the leadership of [Duterte].”

He said the Executive Branch would “continue to implement medium to long-term programs to alleviate poverty, such as enhancing investments not only in infrastructure to address economic disparities in urban-rural areas but also investing in human capital, including ease of access to education and health, in order to make good the commitment of the President to deliver genuine and meaningful change to our society.”